Monday, November 28

Not going to lie, getting pulled in here by the whole backstory; former blender for Absolut [not at all my fave -ed] turns to create a once-distilled, unfiltered vodka made from new potatoes, again from Sweden. Serve it neat or w/ cracked pepper in loving 5D slo-mo. Mid priced $24 for 750cl. Well played video about the brand below discussing creating vodka as a value added product for the area (reminiscent of first cheddar then cheese generally as the value added savior of Vermont dairies), but also equating it with farm-to-table sensibilities. You know, the sort of bo-bo stuff for which I am a sucker... In that vein, I need to try Cold River vodka from Maine, similar idea.

Imagine this goes over a shirt of some kind, even a tshirt, but like the idea of this slim woolen "rugby shirt" from Brooks Brothers. Could have a few other color options maybe, but it has started the slide into on sale land, currently $98. #watch

Thursday, November 24

After Felix and Oscar, but before Randolph and Mortimer there was Statler and Waldorf. They are every suited man's yin and yang... tweed suit (Waldorf) or pinstripes (Statler). Both shooting the french cuffs like absolute pimps btw... Looking forward to see them on the big screen this w/e with the family. Blue steel as below.

Hayward, writer/editor of Fire&Knives and frankly one of the good guys in my view, has a bit of fun in this feature for The Guardian and deep fries a turkey. Good safety tips here as well (turn off gas when lowering turkey etc). Some friends of ours do this on the regular (Mr and Mrs QuailFarm if you have been following along...) and I can confirm that it tastes damn good. Deep fried quail ain't half bad either.

I don't do a ton of sponsored giveaways so lets see how this goes... The PR folks from Eddie Bauer have provided a 1942 Yukon Classic™ Model Down Shirt Jacket to giveaway here on 10e. The 10th person to leave a comment below, or RT this post on twitter wins.We have a winner. Jason somebody. Send me your address before end of day Jason and EB will do the shipping. Good stuff. Thx for responses everyone else.

The box-quilted shirt/jacket features a polyester shell with StormRepel® finish, 550 fill goose down, and polyester lining. Snap-closure front, two chest pockets, and shirttail hem. A woodsy version of a coach's jacket maybe?? There are a bunch of quilted down shirts around currently it seems, at various price points. This is a chance to get one for yourself.

Good timing, ValetMag ran a feature yday about quilted shirts, including this one; go have a look here.

Serendipitous browsing is a term, commonly used to describe a physical library experience; the accidental find of a useful item that was catalogued and shelved near the item the reader wanted. It has been taken up as one of the benefits of libraries and physical research (rather than online). Others conversely believe online browsing is fantastic for serendipitous learning. Not the exact same thing, but I'll take them both. Myself, love rummaging in a library and finding books you never heard of.

Looking through the cookery/homesteading shelves at the Somerville Public Library found this pamphlet shaped item, The American Frugal Housewife. Dedicated to those who are not ashamed of economy (1833) by Lydia Maria Francis Child.

Have you ever heard of A Boy's Thanksgiving Day?? How about it's common title Over the River and through the Woods? She wrote that too. Child was born in nearby Medford, MA, infact her grandfather's house (of "to grandfather's house we go..." fame) is a mile away from the serendipitous Somerville library shelf. V cool. The lady herself sounds like she was a real force; abolitionist, women's rights activist, opponent of American expansionism, Indian rights activist, author... Remember this is only 50 years after the United States gained independence.

Back to the serendipitous find though; The American Frugal Housewife title prepares you. Plenty of tough love, lack of frivolity and children being "seen and not heard" type of stuff but also definable ways to take care of your possessions, re-use things, grow vegetables etc. The intro sentences are great;

The true economy of housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean fragments of time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of a family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money.

'Time is money.' For this reason, cheap as stockings are, it is good economy to knit them. Cotton and woollen yarn are both cheap; hose that are knit wear twice as long as woven ones; and they can be done at odd minutes of time, which would not be otherwise employed. Where there are children, or aged people, it is sufficient to recommend knitting, that it is an employment.

In this point of view, patchwork is good economy. It is indeed a foolish waste of time to tear cloth into bits for the sake of arranging it anew in fantastic figures; but a large family may be kept out of idleness, and a few shillings saved, by thus using scraps of gowns, curtains, &c.

You can see/read it all via googlebooks. Irony of an objectifiying blog recommending a book on frugality does not escape...

Tuesday, November 22

These soapstone cubes from Teroforma have been around for a bit, but I never understood the draw of making your whisky colder. Further I would say adding a splash of water is a good idea to get the nose going. It is a cool idea no doubt. HOHO! You almost missed that pun... Apparently this is a take on a Scandinavian drinking tradition. Anyhow, just thought of a use I can really get behind; martini stones. Keep everything cold and no dilution. Just found this great video about The Vermont Soapstone Company in Perkins, VT that has benefited/survived due to this product. Have a look.

Monday, November 21

1. If you have a healthy relationship with your family and speak to them all the time, you're playing touch. If you see your family only once a year, it's tackle.

9. Two completions is a first down. Not as simple as it sounds—just ask the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.

17. No show-off football lingo. No screaming "trips left" or "zone blitz." Uncle Dale doesn't want to play the "nickel package." He wants to get this stupid game over with, have a vodka and stand in the kitchen eating stuffing with his hands.

Osato: I always take a glass [of champagne] in the morning. You should try it.007: It's bad for your liver, isn't it?Osato: Nonsense, it adds a sparkle to the day.007: I'm sure it does.

Champagne for breakfast. Those 1960s execs had it made... Just discovered this sub-$20 sparkling, Jean-Francois Merieau Bulles [meaning bubbles -ed.] Brut. Available as 80% chenin blanc / 20% chardonnay or 90/10 it really does have the tiny tiny bubbles representative of more 'spensive champoo. This Loire valley méthode champenoise is almost creamy, and fractionally undercarbonated, or at least not hypercarbonated. This fellow Jean-Francois Merieau is a relatively young gun but has taken over his father's St. Julien de Chédon property [source interwebs -ed.] Need to *ahem* try it a few more times but $20 is a tough pricepoint to find winners... might have one here.

Friday, November 18

My in-laws were at the Pawlet Game Supper two weeks ago (home turf) and took some pics as we could not make it. Again, this is a community style supper put on by, and for, the volunteer fire department of the town of Pawlet, Vermont. It is held on the first day of deer season and features the trinity of bear, deer, and moose (with chicken pot pie rounding out) and squash, pies and lots of cheddar cheese. It is pretty much a belt buster. Long tables and a wait to get in create a great atmosphere. We make it every other year; last year did the double bill and hit the fireman's breakfast the next day 2 towns over...

Anyhow here is the round up from November 12, 2011. Thx Mike.

The fantastic Mach's store in Pawlet almost got washed away by Irene in September. If you visit, you can look down through the overhang (featured below) and see the river (Flower Brook) going underneath.

Waiting in line at 6-7pm on a Vermont November is not a joke. Not too bad this year looks like.

Each table gets macaroni salad, pickles, rolls and butter, and a plate of cubed cheddar.

This is barely perceptible as a regimental stripe when worn which is half the point. Of all plaids, Black Watch is often deemed the most universally accessible, and appropriate for non-clan affilaites (though I have never seen of heard of anyone being bothered by what tartan you wore). Further reading. Anyhow, along those lines, for those that are sensitive about regimental stripes (ie not wearing them if you don't belong) I recommend the Black Watch Reg' Stripe.

Wednesday, November 16

If you head out into the woods from now on, smart idea to blaze up. I'm still looking for an orange nylony earlflap, brimmed cap like out of some Buffalo Bills tailgating party circa 1979. You know the ones? Gas station fashion. Stormy Kromer or Jones style work too.

Been chatting with other parents about gloves for small kids. Mittens I mean, as gloves get too fiddly. Maybe next year bucko... anyhow, have settled on these Tidbit Mitts from Scott. They are small enough so they can grip things but beefy enough to feel warm. Some colors from this year, some from last, but you can get them at various retailers (incl. Marshall's) for about $10. I'm really not into camo-everything, especially for kids, but anything other than default black gets a look.

Monday, November 14

Robert J. Lurtsema, the host of WGBH's classical music program, Morning Pro Musica, he of the bass tones and pregnant pauses, a New England radio institution in the late 70's and 80's, would have been 80 today. Further reading.

Though Morning Pro Musica is not on the air anymore, the Dawn Chorus, also called Birds of Morning, is still used by WGBH Classical at 7am and 8am. It is the greatest way to wake up on the weekend. Set the alarm.

Sunday, November 13

Friday, November 11

We all had to do a presentation (high school, late 1980s) and most just muddled through it, probably mumbling. A buddy from Inverness announced that his topic (the Highland Clearances) was far too big to discuss in one evening and he would like to do a two part talk over two evenings. Taking the same approach here.

Over the last year I've communicated a bit with Mike Donald, a guy from Glasgow connected to the Harris Tweed Authority, and writer of The Croft blog. He was the one that organised The Harris Tweed Ride a few months back. Anyhow, he has moved back to the Western Isles off the north-west coast of Scotland to enroll in a training program that is intended to bring young folk back into the trade of weaving Harris Tweed.

I recently interviewed him for Kaufmann Mercantile. Will catch up with Mike again in a few weeks to learn more about the process, but you can read part 1 here.

Damn me. I never understood the first line of Moby Dick "Call me Ishmael." Got it now.

The site Power Moby Dick doesn't so much interpret Moby Dick but rather reveal the history and meaning of words in the text. V v helpful. You can make up your own mind on author's intent. Plus they have links to every conceiveable related resource on the web and beyond.